1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a portable phone with a camera, specifically to a portable phone with an electronic camera which has a solid-state imaging device.
2. Description of the related art
A portable phone with an electronic camera is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.10-336498. A body of the phone has a taking lens and a viewfinder, and a cover connected to the body has a liquid crystal display. When the cover is closed, the user can use the camera looking into the viewfinder; and when the cover is open, the user can use the camera looking at the liquid crystal display. To make a phone call, the user opens the cover and dials a phone number using a touch panel or numeric keys on the cover. To transmit image data on the phone, the user chooses transmission with a function key or the like and selects a desired image, and then dials a phone number.
However, the camera does not have the capacity to capture an image well in poor-lighted conditions.
The present invention has been developed in view of the above-described circumstances, and has as its object the provision of a portable phone with a camera which can capture an image well even in poor-lighted conditions.
In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention is directed to a portable phone with a camera, comprising: an imaging device and a shutter releasing device that capture an image through a taking lens when the shutter releasing device releases a shutter; and an electronic flash that emits a light when the shutter releasing device releases the shutter.
According to the invention, the electronic flash is provided to the portable phone with the camera, and the electronic flash emits the light when the shutter releasing device releases the shutter. Thus, the camera can capture the image well even in poor-lighted conditions.
In the invention, the portable phone with a camera further comprises a display device that displays the image captured when the shutter releasing device releases the shutter, and the display device and a light-emitting part of the electronic flash are separate from an electronic circuit board with an electromagnetic shield between them. Since the radio waves generated from the electronic flash and the display device do not reach the electronic circuit board, misoperations of the portable phone due to the radio waves can be prevented.
In the invention, the display device and the light-emitting part of the electronic flash are contained in containers formed on one side of the electromagnetic shield, and the electronic circuit board is mounted on the other side of the electromagnetic shield. Thus, the light-emitting part of the electronic flash and the display device can be easily separated from the electronic circuit board.
In the invention, a charging of the electronic flash is prohibited while a user is talking on the portable phone. Thus, low-frequency switching noise generated from the charging can be prevented from interfering with audio signals.
In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention is also directed to a portable phone with a camera, comprising: an electronic flash that emits light; an electronic circuit board; and an electromagnetic shield that separates the electronic flash and the electronic circuit board.